1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ski and ski pole carrying devices and more particularly pertains to a device which is used to manually carry skis and, ski poles from a shoulder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of various carrying devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of carrying various articles are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,308,982 to Hall;, and 4,463,885 to Ball;, 4,792,073 to Jacober;, 4,903,875 to Smart;, and 4,658,999 to Hilty, all depict devices used to hold and carry skis and ski poles. Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,667, which depicts a holder apparatus for skis alone.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a lightweight device that is used by a skier to carry both skis and ski poles over the shoulder while simultaneously freeing the hands from this carrying process. These features are especially important to cross country skiers, who usually have to hike a long distance over rough terrain in order to access ski trails. Furthermore, the device allows the skier to quickly access the equipment for use.
In this respect, the ski and ski pole carrying device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of manually carrying skis and ski poles from a shoulder.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for an improved device which can be used to carry skis and ski poles. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.